WASHINGTON – A Connecticut firefighter who lost an appeals court ruling by Sonia Sotomayor has told a Senate panel that in his line of work, advancement has to be determined by skill and qualifications.

Frank Ricci was among a group of white New Haven firefighters who were denied a promotion when city tossed out the results of an exam because not enough minorities had scored well enough to be promoted.

Sotomayor and other members of an appeals court ruled in favor of the city. The U.S. Supreme Court recently overturned that ruling.

He says Americans have the right to have cases decided based on the Constitution and laws, and not what he called “politics and personal feelings.”